India is very famous for its rich cultural heritage all over the world. This is why people from all over the world come to visit India and experience its cultural heritage. The rich history of India is depicted through ancient monuments and wonderful temples.
Many temples located in different states of India are very important from a spiritual, cultural and historical point of view. There are many cave temples here, which are also called rock-cut temples. These majestic temples built by cutting rocks are a great place to visit for Indian and foreign tourists. So, today in this article we are telling you about some such cave temples, which you too should see once-
Elephanta Caves, Mumbai
The Elephanta Caves, located near Mumbai, Maharashtra, are one of the finest examples of rock-cut cave temples in India. It is situated on Elephanta Island, 10 km away from Mumbai city. The island has two groups of caves – the first has five Hindu caves and the second has two Buddhist caves. The Hindu caves contain a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and the sculptures located here date back to the 5th and 8th centuries. A dance festival is organized every year in February by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation at Elephanta Island.
Badami Caves, Karnataka
The beautiful complex of Badami Caves is located in Badami, Karnataka. The temples reflect BadamiChalukya architecture, which began during the 6th century. The caves were constructed in the sixth century during the reign of the Chalukya Empire. There are a total of five caves in the complex, dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Jain saints. The fifth cave used to be a Buddhist pilgrimage site. Due to the small size of the cave, one has to crawl down to enter it.
Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
Ajanta Caves, located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, are about 30 rock-cut caves. These have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. These rock-cut cave temples were built about 2000 years ago. Therefore, they also have their distinct historical importance. All the temples in these caves are dedicated to Lord Buddha and his monasteries. This is the reason why these caves have immense religious importance among the followers of Buddhism. Ajanta Caves are considered one of the finest examples of Buddhist architecture.
Ellora Caves, Aurangabad
Ellora Caves are located in Aurangabad. It is one of the largest monastery-temple complexes made of rocks in the entire world. The Ellora Caves are a complex of 34 caves, containing Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples. These caves were carved out of Charanandri hills. These cave temples were built in the 4th and 5th centuries. There are 12 Buddhist caves in the south, 17 Hindu caves in the centre and 5 Jain caves in the north. The main attraction of Ellora Caves is the Kailash Temple.
Image Credit- wikipedia
